The First Time We Met
by Devil's Only Child
Summary: The first time Eleazar sees Carmen, she is watching the Volturi do what they do best. Curious, he follows her to a moonlit lake where they trade more than just names. Two vampires meet by chance and remain together forever. Ah, eternal love.
1. The Threat

Author's Note:

I was doing a search on for stories to read and it struck me that there are an exorbitant number of stories written about the main characters (i.e. the Cullen family), but there are very few stories written about the more obscure characters (e.g. the Denali clan). This irked me and to prove the point to myself, I searched for all stories concerning Carmen and Eleazar. I came up with _one_ story. And so, as a writer and a fan of this coupling, I've taken it upon myself to add my version of events to the sorry collection of their story. Enjoy.

The First Time We Met

Chapter One ~ The Threat

The tower was quiet that morning as the Guard started "waking up." I smirked, amused by this way of looking at mornings here. As vampires, none of us could really _sleep_, but as a detector of talents, I was used to placing behaviour into categories. It made the world so much more orderly when things fit snugly into set categories, though nothing ever _perfectly_ fit anywhere. Each talent deserved its own category, as no two talents are ever the same, and the activities engaged in by the Guard were similar in this way; no two members of the guard spent the night the same way.

Of course, there were _similarities_ between the activities; those of the Guard with mates always spent the night alone with them. But so few of the Guard had mates that this hardly mattered. Most of them, like me, preferred to spend the night alone in reflection. My usual activities during the night consisted of thinking, conversing with other Guard members (when they felt like talking), hunting, or roaming the streets of Voltera listening to the humans sleep.

It confused the others why this strange habit amused me. I didn't have an explanation for it myself; somehow, I found the sounds of human breathing to be… comforting, if that was even the word. It relaxed me to know that these humans were among the safest in the world… because of the Guard and the Volturi. No vampire was allowed to feed in Voltera.

The sun peeked over the horizon and cast its warm glow on my face. Rainbow lights danced off my skin and onto the walls of the loft, swirled as I turned my head to watch them, and escaped out the glassless window. I sighed and pulled myself back into the shadows of the loft, to avoid being spotted by the humans who were slowly beginning their day. Though I was happy with my life as a vampire guard to the Volturi, I found a small piece of myself yearning to walk out in the sunlight, to let the golden rays warm my cold skin. It had been ages since I was free to dance in the forest under the sun of Spain. Sometimes I missed it…

_Boom_.

I froze and listened hard, tensed for an attack. None came.

_Boom_.

I leaned slightly to the edge of the loft to look down at the great doors that led to the other parts of the building. This wasn't an attack, I realised, but someone knocking at the door. I tilted my head to the side, considering the other members of the Guard below me. Most of them were frozen like I had been moments before, waiting for an attack. Others, like Alec and Jane, were contemplating the door as though trying to decipher the reason for the knocking. The twins' faces were blank as they exchanged a glance and skittered to the door in unison.

For some unknown reason, I always expected a loud, grating creak when the large doors were opened, and was always unbalanced when it didn't come. I quickly moved to the very edge of the loft and let a leg dangle over the edge, waiting for the reason for the knocking.

As the doors opened all the way, I was supplied a view of the knocker and understanding instantly swept over me. Recently, the Volturi had acquired a new reseptionist; the old reseptionist had outlived her usefulness. I grimaced.

This new woman was very young, with white-blond hair and piercing green eyes. I had only seen her once before, when she was introduced to the Guard, but I remembered the way her eyes had made me feel, like I had done something wrong. This made me grin; it was a strange feeling to get from a human. The reseptionist swallowed nervously, her heart beating frantically, her eyes scanning the hall, taking in all the vampires there. There was no fear in her eyes, something I would have expected to see; instead, there was uncertainty, as though we were no more than average human employers and she was afraid that she had done something wrong. Respect flared for this little human; it took a lot to get over one's sense of self-preservation.

"Yes?" Alec asked in a dead voice, cold politeness in his tone. I shook my head to myself at his actions, but I understood their founding emotions; it took a while for the Guard to adjust to a new reseptionist. With the newfound respect still humming in my thoughts, I let myself drop from the loft, landing, catlike, on the stone floor below, and walked up behind Alec and Jane. I felt the need to come to this frail human's defence.

"Now, now, Alec, play nicely. She's only doing her job," I said loud enough for the human to hear me.

Alec gave me a sardonic glance and murmured too low for the reseptionist to hear, "She has disrupted our mourning. I am being as pleasant as I feel."

"Ah, yes," I murmured back. "About as pleasant as a rock, then."

I didn't wait for his response, but I could feel his gift pressing on my senses. His twin's gift also pressed at me, but neither of them struck out. Instead, they turned together and drifted away holding hands, leaving me to deal with the "disruption."

"You'll have to excuse them," I informed the reseptionist. "They don't like to be disturbed this early in the morning. I guess you could say they're not morning people." I smiled politely.

A strange expression crossed the reseptionist's face. "I didn't think that was a problem for v- for your kind. I didn't think any of you slept." The woman seemed confused.

I chuckled. "No we don't sleep, but the sentiment is still the same," I explained. Wanting to ease the woman's discomfort, I tried to turn her thoughts to the reason she came knocking. "Was there a particular reason for knocking this morning?"

But the woman didn't seem to hear me. She was frowning slightly, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. I was about to repeat my question when a buzzing set off my sixth sense. _Comprehender!_ my senses screamed at me and I realised the reseptionist had a gift: she saw truths. It didn't surprise me that I hadn't noticed it the first time I saw her; humans usually had to be using their gift for me to detect them.

"They don't like me," she stated. "Or at least, they're not used to me yet and don't trust me."

"That's exactly it, actually. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you; they'll warm up eventually," I assured her. "Now, for the reason you came…"

"Oh!" The human seemed flustered and she ran her fingers through her hair. "Yes. Sorry about that."

"Not at all. There's nothing to be sorry for." I looked at her expectantly.

The reseptionist cleared her throat. "There's someone here to see the Volturi and Aro told me to come to the Guard if I ever needed to get hold of him."

I nodded. "Who's here?"

"Another v-vampire, sir." She swallowed, as though the memory of this stranger was unpleasant.

"There's no need to call me 'sir,'" I assured her.

By this time, our conversation had attracted the attention of several others of the Guard. I could practically taste their curiosity on my tongue. Taking initiative, I exited the tower, taking the reseptionist with me, and closed the large doors, unbalanced again when no creak came. I indicated that she should take me to the visitor and we set off down the corridor.

"Did this vampire say anything?" I asked, looking down at the young woman beside me.

"Yes. He mentioned that he had information pertaining to a coven that was breaking the law. He said it was urgent, that he had to talk to the Volturi immediately." She frowned and I wondered whether her gift had told her something more. Unable to find a way to word my question without frightening her, I held my tongue and continued following her down the corridor.

The lobby was well lit with dozens of candles and the flickering was always distracting. Unfortunately, there couldn't be windows in this part of the tower because we sometimes received human guests during the day, and so we endured the incessant flickering of the candles.

The strange vampire was standing in the corner of the room, trying, it looked like, to stay out of the flickering of the candles. He wasn't doing a very good job. I stepped forward to greet him.

"Welcome to Voltera." I extended a hand to shake his. The vampire simply stared at my hand as though I had threatened to kill him. I sighed and lowered my hand.

"You're not Aro," the vampire hissed quietly in an accent, casting a glare at the reseptionist as she took her seat behind the heavy oak desk. "I asked for Aro."

"My name is Eleazar and I'm one of Aro's representatives. You can talk to me and I'll pass your information on to Aro. Have a seat." I indicated the two chairs by the wall. The Romanian vampire squinted at me warily, but did as I instructed. Asking silently to be granted patience, I sat across from the visitor and clasped my hands in my lap. "Now, you said you have information about a coven that has broken the law?"

The visitor just nodded, glancing around the lobby as though expecting a rebuff from the flickering light.

"Your name?"

The vampire's eyes snapped back to mine and he glared suspiciously. "Why do you need my name?"

I sighed audibly and answered as patiently as I could. "It's protocol. Is there some reason why you don't want your name to be given?" I raised an eyebrow at him disapprovingly, hoping to convey that I was tired of his paranoia.

The vampire clenched his jaw and shook his head. _Gracias__ a Dios_, I thought. _We're finally getting somewhere_. "Your name?" I asked again.

"My name is Andrei."

"And what is the name of the coven of which you have information?"

Andrei's eyebrows knit together. "They don't have a name… that I know of."

"Well then, I'll need the location of this coven and the names of the members. We will need to be able to find them, after all. I assume you _do_ know their names, at least?"

"Of course I know their names. Their location might be harder; they're nomads. But I can tell you where I last saw them." Andrei fiddled like a bracelet he was wearing. I found this odd; as vampires, we tend not to fidget, especially under stressful situations. I took note of the nervous tick and stored it away for further examining later; it might be important.

"Their names, please," I requested, settling back into the chair.

"Won't you want to write this down… so you can pass it on more easily to Aro?" Andrei asked curiously, eyeing the lack of writing equipment in front of me.

I chuckled. "No," I assured him, "believe me, we have easier ways of passing information than writing it down." The grin I gave him was faintly threatening. I couldn't help it; this vampire got on my nerves.

"What could be easier than a written explanation?" Andrei looked worried.

Another grin. "You've obviously never met Aro in person."

Andrei shook his head and his eyes adopted a faraway cast, as though he were imagining all sorts of frightening things about my master. I didn't bother to put the Romanian's thoughts straight; a little bit of fear never hurt anyone.

"The names of the members of this coven, if you don't mind."

Andrei collected his thoughts again and nodded. "The coven consists of two pairs of mates and a leader named Ferka. The pairs' names are Costel and his mate Sorina, and Nandru and his mate Crina." The Romanian worried his bottom lip with his sharp teeth after finishing his sentence. This nervous tick, too, was filed away for future reference.

"And the last location you saw them?"

Andrei took a deep, steadying breath. Again, I made a mental note. "I last saw them just outside of Gheorgheni, in the province of Harghita, Romania. I overheard them saying that they were heading toward Voronkovo in Moldova."

I nodded to myself, locating the coven's movements on the map in my mind. Moldova shared a border with Romania. "Was there any particular reason for them to move out of Romania? Perhaps trying to avoid notice by humans?"

Andrei shook his head quickly. Too quickly. "No, at least, I don't think so. As I said, they're nomads and move around eastern Europe constantly. It is hard to predict where they are going to be."

"If you don't mind me saying so, you seem to know a lot about this coven."

Andrei's mouth fell open, but no sound came out. He seemed to be struggling to come up with a reason for his in-depth knowledge of the Romanian coven. My suspicions were confirmed; Andrei had been part of the coven. I got the sneaking feeling that this coven had in fact done nothing wrong, and that this was personal. Andrei had a grudge or a score to settle. It didn't bode well. Perhaps it was time for Andrei to meet Aro in person.

"I-I…" Andrei stuttered. "I watched them for a while, knowing that I would need to give you information so you could find them. And of course, I had to make sure that they were really breaking the law…"

"Of course," I agreed coolly. "So what is it exactly that this coven has done to warrant coming to the Volturi?" I couldn't wait for the answer to this question; it was bound to be creative.

"This coven, they are all of Romani descent. This is partly why they are nomadic. The Romani are famous for their carnivals and for the trading of goods and services. Another word for them would be gypsies, but the Romani consider this term derogatory." Again, the Romanian fiddled with his bracelet. I examined it closer and noted a handmade quality that I recognised at once. I had seen those exact bracelets at a Romani fair held in the square here in Voltera not that long ago. I couldn't help my eyes from narrowing. The other vampire noticed. "What?"

I shook my head, not wanting to divulge that I knew his secret, but I couldn't quite erase the suspicion from my eyes. "Nothing, go on."

Andrei swallowed and obeyed. "This particular coven, in the custom of their people, holds trading sessions with humans in the villages of Romania and the surrounding countries. They are not exactly subtle when it comes to dealing with humans. They hunt the villagers freely, without concern of who knows what they've done. In their defence, the villagers often think that the coven have just kidnapped or seduced the missing humans as the Romani have a tendency to do, but there are those who are suspicious. I've heard rumours."

This last bit seemed to have been added without thought. _Aha!_ I thought. _I've got you there._

"Rumours? Really? We haven't heard a thing." I watched for signs of stress in the Romanian and wasn't disappointed. His eyes took on a look of desperation.

"Of course you haven't heard anything. The rumours have not been about vampires, but about the Romani! Still, this coven in endangering our kind and needs to be stopped. I've told you all I know. Now, please, go and tell this to Aro." There was an imploring edge to Andrei's voice.

"I'll pass on what you've said. Meanwhile, please stay here until nightfall and after that inside the city limits until the Volturi have made their decision. Also, I implore you not to hunt within the walls of this city, as it would endanger our concealment. Hunting in Voltera is a crime punishable by death. Thank you for informing us of this coven's potential discrepancy. Be assured that we will investigate the matter fully."

What I really wanted to say to the Romanian was that I knew he was a lying scumbag, but I didn't think that would go over well with Aro. My master would want me to consult him before making wild accusations. I got to my feet and turned on my heel to pay Aro a visit.

"I should warn you before you tell Aro," the Romanian called after me. I stopped abruptly at the word "warn." Was this something else Andrei was going to make up to condemn his coven, or was this actually a potential threat that we needed to know about. Reluctantly, I turned and faced the other vampire again.

Andrei got to his feet and squared his shoulders. "There are a couple of members of this coven with powerful gifts that might pose a threat to your Guard should you decide to go after them. The leader, Ferka, can freeze a person with a single glance and Nandru's mate Crina," I noticed the tightening in Andrei's eyes when he said her name, "has a strange power over nature. She can make the animals and trees do her bidding."

I contemplated this for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you for telling us." Again I turned to leave and again I was stopped, but not by the Romanian.

"Eleazar!" The reseptionist jumped up from her desk and scurried after me. "I need to talk to you about something important."

I looked down at her curiously, but nodded and walked briskly down the corridor. My sixth sense was buzzing again and so I knew before she said anything that this would involve some sort of truth that she detected. As soon as I was sure we were out of hearing range of the Romanian, I stopped and turned to her again.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" I asked, already kind of knowing the answer.

"Well," the human paused, seemingly uncertain about how to word her thoughts, "I'm sure what you both were saying because you were speaking too low for me to hear, but I got the strange feeling that that man was lying to you, or at least wasn't telling the whole truth. I'm not sure how I know this, but the feeling struck me and I thought you should know." The little female studied her feet, ostensibly embarrassed by her forwardness.

I placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face so she could see my smile. She shuddered a little at my cold touch, but otherwise was unruffled by _my_ forwardness. "Don't be ashamed. You are right; he wasn't telling me the whole truth. In fact, he might have been outright lying, as you said. Don't ever doubt your feelings, little one; they won't misguide you. Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate if you would make sure the vampire stays in the lobby until nightfall. I'll send someone else out to watch him with you; I'm afraid I don't trust him very much."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I'll be fine."

I shook my head at her. "Don't be foolish. He is dangerous, especially to humans like you. I'll send someone. Thank you for sharing your insight with me. You confirmed my suspicions." I gave the young woman another warm smile and hurried back to the tower to send a guard for her. Again the lack of ghoulish creaking unbalanced me, but I ignored the feeling; there were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Ásdís, I have a favour to ask you," I called across the circular room. The vampire with the long, auburn hair turned to face me and smiled politely. She drifted over to me sedately and raised her eyebrows in question. This was very typical of Ásdís; a former Queen of an Icelandic people, she was a Negotiator and had the power to calm the angered and make them see her way. She was very useful to have on your side in an argument and I again was grateful that we were friends.

"A favour?" she asked in her soft voice. "Need to convince someone to calm down?"

I chuckled, remembering the previous favour I had asked of her. It had involved convincing a new recruit, a Fighter named Felix, not to kill Alec for using his gift on him. "No, no death threats on any important members of the Guard. Actually, I was wondering if you would go and make sure the visitor in the lobby doesn't eat our new reseptionist."

Ásdís laughed. Her laugh had always fascinated me; it was like listening to a waterfall sing. "Why? Is our visitor likely to do that?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. In any case, I don't trust him. And our reseptionist is just a frail little human."

"Svana."

This made absolutely no sense to me, given the context. "Pardon me?"

"Svana. Her name is Svana." Ásdís gave me an amused smile and I laughed.

"Oh, yes. So will you?"

She nodded. "Of course." Ásdís followed me out into the corridor and headed in the direction of the lobby.

"Thank you!" I called after her. She didn't turn, but I heard the sound of a waterfall singing and knew she had heard me. I relaxed slightly, knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about Svana with Ásdís there.

It was time for me to see Aro.

The three Volturi and the wives spent their nights in three suites on the top floor of the main building. I quickly climbed the stone stairs, thankful that there weren't any candles here. The landing at the top was decorated with a painting of the Volturi and the wives in a gilded frame. The painting had been there since before I joined the Volturi centuries ago and I doubted it would move for another couple of centuries.

The first door past this painting was Aro's. His door was closest to the landing because he was the one to consult when it came to Guard duties. The others didn't want to be disturbed during the night for any reason. Also, it had occurred to me a short time after I joined the Guard, that Aro really was the leader of our coven. The other Volturi were important and influential as well, but Aro really had the last say on every matter.

I paused outside the door and lifted my hand to knock. I hated disturbing Aro in the morning, but this couldn't wait. The sound of my knocking sounded unthinkably loud in the silent hallway, though I hadn't done more than touch the door three times with my knuckles. I cringed.

There were sounds of movement on the other side of the door and I squared my shoulders.

Aro was a very tall man and I couldn't help feeling short beside him. I myself was not a short man – I was six foot one – but Aro had a good five or six inches on me, adding to his intimidating persona. However, one thing about Aro was that he was usually in a good mood, and when he wasn't, he faked it very well. Presently, he smiled down at me pleasantly.

"Ah, Eleazar! How was your night?" he asked, stepping to the side so I could enter the suite.

"Fine, thank you. And yours?" I asked this out of courtesy rather than actual curiosity; I already knew what Aro's answer would be.

"Wonderful, as always. Now," Aro said, taking a seat in a leather armchair and touching his fingertips together, "I assume you have information for me?"

I nodded and stretched out my hand. Aro smiled again and touched his hand to mine. It's strange how a person can get used to having no privacy; these little exchanges with Aro bothered me not at all, though he could see every thought that had ever passed through my mind. A moment passed and Aro withdrew his hand, looking contemplative.

"You think he's lying," he said, and it wasn't a question.

"Yes, I do. And Svana told me the same thing."

Aro smiled slightly. "Yes, that's an interesting talent, isn't it? A lie detector, or a Comprehender, as you call it. Hmmm, she might make a nice addition to our numbers." Aro trailed off, obviously thinking of the benefits of having a Comprehender on the Guard.

"Speaking of which," I reminded him. "Ferka and Crina appear to both be very talented. If Andrei's story does turn out to be a lie, it might be worth recruiting them. A stare that can freeze and the power to control nature… impressive gifts."

Aro smiled wider. "We were thinking along the same lines, my friend. I'll meet with this Andrei and discover what he's hiding. It seems, either way, that the Guard will be making a trip to Romania." Aro got to his feet.

"I'll inform Renata that she'll be needed then, shall I?" I asked, following Aro from the suite.

"Please."

I nodded and flitted down the stairs to the tower. The tower was alive now and buzzing with quiet conversations. Scanning the room, I spotted Renatta talking to Felix and Demetri.

"Renatta, Aro has need of you," I informed her, nodding at both of the other Guard members. Demetri nodded back pleasantly, but Felix just scowled. I sighed inwardly; obviously he hadn't forgiven me for preventing his murder of Alec… not that he would have succeeded.

Renata nodded at me as well and she followed me out of the tower. Aro was waiting for us.

"Renata, my sweeting. How are you this morning?" Aro reached out and touched the Shield's cheek.

"Wonderful, Master," Renata breathed, gazing at Aro with love-filled eyes.

I had never particularly understood the dreamy state in which some members of the Guard addressed the Volturi. I was aware that Chelsea kept our bonds closely knit so we could all get along together, and I was grateful for this. While I was irreversibly loyal to the Volturi, my emotional attachment went only at deep as that.

Aro motioned for me to wait in the tower and set off down the corridor with Renata trailing behind him like a devoted puppy. I grimaced, but acquiesced immediately; there was no further need of my presence and I should enjoy the time alone while I still could. No doubt tonight would be spent traveling, not to mention that it would be stressful and I wouldn't get much time to myself. I looked up to the loft and prepared myself to jump.

The loft wasn't actually a loft, per se, but a stone ridge that ran around the circumference of the tower. At a height of thirty to forty feet above the stone floor, I believe it was meant to roost birds. Since birds wouldn't come anywhere near the tower, the loft was used by select members of the Guard as a place to avoid others. I smiled as I realised that I had become quite introverted in my old age. My muscles tensed and I crouched…

"Eleazar!"

I straightened up and waited somewhat impatiently for Demetri to approach me. "Yes, Demetri?"

The Tracker sighed and glanced over his shoulder, as though checking to see that our conversation wasn't being overheard by the wrong person. I raised my eyebrow at him and he sighed.

"I know that Felix is taking some time to adjust to the Guard, but he's not a bad person," Demetri started, a frown creasing the skin between his eyebrows.

I raised a hand to stop him. "I know," I assured him. "Believe me, I know. I think I would have done the same thing if Alec had used his gift against me. We just can't afford to let members bicker. The slightest disagreement gets blown out of proportion when we're all clumped in here together. Even Chelsea can't prevent that."

Demetri smiled slightly. "I know what you mean. I just didn't want there to be a misunderstanding."

"Don't worry, I understand completely."

The Tracker smiled wider. "Excellent. Thank you for being patient."

I cocked my head at him in confusion. "You seem very… protective of him," I noted, raising my eyebrow again.

A thoughtful look crossed Demetri's features. "I'm not sure what it is, but I feel almost responsible for him, which makes absolutely no sense, because you were the one to discover him." I almost laughed as I observed that the Tracker was just as confused about this as I was.

"I'm fairly certain that I can empathise," I told him, my thoughts flashing to the reseptionist.

"I'm sure most could." And with this last comment, Demetri turned and went to bask in an errant ray of light. I chuckled and swiftly jumped up to the loft before anyone could claim my attention.

Time for seclusion.


	2. First Glance

Chapter Two ~ First Glance

It was some time before Aro returned with Renata. It was approaching ten in the morning and the humans in the square outside the window were busy running to and fro, buying and selling, trading and bargaining, shouting and laughing. It was fascinating to watch, like a well-choreographed ballet: simulated chaos belying the organisation underneath. Each sound in the market place was clear to my ears, and each conversation filled me with wonder. How casual they all seemed, without the need to be painfully polite and diplomatic. How… _free_.

It was a feeling I could scarcely remember.

The large doors opened quietly and Aro glided into the tower in his usual way, Renata trailing behind him still. I frowned at the thoughtful appearance of my master's features; obviously, he had learned much from the Romanian. Without hesitation, I slipped from the loft and landed softly ten feet away. Before I could speak, Aro motioned for Felix and Demetri to leave the tower, presumably to take care of the liar. Others of the Guard were approaching as well, curious to know what was going on.

"Was he lying, then?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer. "Did the Romani coven break the law?"

Aro smiled at me patiently and nodded. "Yes, dear Eleazar, our Romanian friend was lying about the violation. It turns out that he was a part of their coven, before he started coveting another vampire's mate. His sole intent in coming here was revenge." Aro shook his head in regret. "It is heartbreaking that we must end poor Andrei's life, but tolerating such rash behaviour is unforgivable, is it not, dear ones?"

All members of the Guard, including myself, nodded. "Yes, Master."

After Aro's eloquent speech, everyone went back to what they had been doing before his entrance. Renata, no longer needed for Aro's protection, skittered off to talk to Ásdís, who had returned shortly after Felix and Demetri had left. I sent the auburn-haired vampire a thankful smile and she nodded elegantly in reply. Life in the tower returned to normal and Aro came to confer with me.

"This Andrei was not lying on one point, however," Aro said, as though in continuation of his previous speech. "The vampires of the Romani coven, Ferka and Crina, are very gifted indeed. It is my thinking that acquiring their talents would be very advantageous for the Guard. What are your thoughts on the matter?" Aro extended his hand and I took it without faltering.

After a moment Aro nodded. "Yes, I concur. Eleazar, inform Jane, Demetri, Ásdís, Renata, Chelsea, and Felix that their assistance in delivering a message is desired. We'll set forth as soon as darkness falls." Aro turned to walk away, but I put out a hand to stop him.

"Master, why are we bringing Jane and Chelsea with us? Do you anticipate a conflict?"

"My dear Eleazar, I don't anticipate anything; you know as well as I do that I have no power to see the future." Aro chuckled. "I am simply being cautious. I saw that this coven is particularly obstinate and proud. Should they take our meaning the wrong way, we shall be prepared to defend ourselves. Do not worry needlessly about uncertainties." Aro placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Now, I should inform my brothers and Sulpicia that I will be away tonight. Until nightfall, my friend."

Aro turned and glided out of the room, leaving me to my confusion. My master's explanation made perfect sense, but I couldn't help wondering if Aro _did_ anticipate a fight. Normally Jane didn't come along unless we were punishing the breaking of a crime. Had Aro seen something he wasn't divulging…

I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. What reason would Aro have for hiding his intentions? Ridding my thoughts of such nonsense, I called the intended members of our delegation over to me. Demetri and Felix walked in and I motioned them over to the group. As soon as all six vampires were gathered around me, I explained our assignment.

"If this is just a social call, why am I coming?" Jane asked curiously, staring up at me with wide eyes.

I sighed inwardly. Not knowing the answer to that question myself, I gave her a response that would distract her. "Aro requested that you come personally," I explained. Jane beamed at my words, but the others weren't as pleased. To be diplomatic, I said, "In fact, Aro requested all of you. We need to be prepared for anything."

Ásdís and Demetri were nodding, Felix was scowling at me, Jane was still smiling, Renata was looking nervous, and Chelsea was glancing over her shoulder to where her mate, Afton, was watching our group from twenty feet away. I caught Afton's eye for a moment and noted that he didn't look pleased. I shrugged infinitesimally and he sighed; he didn't like it when Chelsea went on assignments without him. "We leave at nightfall. Go and prepare whatever you have to."

They all nodded and then scattered, each joining conversations. Jane ran off to tell Alec, no doubt, that Aro had requested her personally. Chelsea went to comfort her mate. Demetri and Felix drifted away, talking in hushed voices. Renata leaped up to the loft and peered out a window, deep in thought. The only one who stayed was Ásdís. I turned to her and raised my eyebrows. She laughed softly.

"Don't look so surprised," she scolded, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not surprised. I'm just…" I trailed off, searching for the right word to describe my sentiments.

"Surprised?" Ásdís laughed.

"Yes, I suppose so," I conceded. "Feel like going for a walk?"

It was Ásdís' turn to raise her eyebrows. "If you haven't noticed, Eleazar, it is broad daylight outside." The Icelandic vampire waved her hand at the beams of light that streamed onto the tower floor from the windows.

I smiled and shook my head at her. "I didn't mean outside. I've heard the tunnels are beautiful this time of year."

Ásdís' waterfall laugh spilled around us. "Ah, of course! The _beautiful_ tunnels. How could I have forgotten them so readily? Eleazar, I hope you are joking." She leaned her head to the side and gazed at me as though willing me to admit the joke.

I shook my head. "I'm not joking. If you don't want to come with me, that's fine, but I need to get out of this tower. I'm going crazy."

"It would appear that this doesn't take much." Ásdís sighed. "I supposed I will come with you. Perhaps the company will keep the tunnels from driving _me_ insane!" I offered her my arm and we set off out of the tower toward the lobby.

As we passed the receptionist's desk, Svana smiled warmly at us both and wished us a nice walk in the tunnels. I could see the hint of humour in her green eyes as she spoke and I was about to comment on this to Ásdís when she spoke.

"You suspect something of Aro, don't you?" she asked quietly, as thought she was wary of someone overhearing us, even down in the tunnels. I looked over at her and her eyes were knowing. I sighed, not wanting to get into this again.

"The only thing I suspect Aro of is over-cautiousness. He's just making sure that we are prepared for all outcomes. Apparently the coven we're visiting is very obstinate and proud. If they interpret our visit as a threat, we need to be able to defend ourselves." I shrugged. "What difference does it make?"

"You don't sound convinced."

"Does it matter?" I asked with a sigh.

"No. However, you are closer to Aro than most of us. What do you feel," Ásdís pressed her hand against my stomach, "here?"

I frowned at her words. "I'm not sure. On one hand, we _do_ need to be prepared to defend ourselves. But on the other hand, the chances of our visit being interpreted the wrong way are slim…" Even knowing, as Ásdís did not, that the intent of our visit was recruitment and not a social call, Aro's choice to bring such gifted Guard members with him was puzzling. All the other coven had to do was refuse Aro's offer and that would be the end of it; we would both go peacefully our separate ways. I sighed again and shook my head. "Let's talk of something else."

Ásdís nodded solemly, deep in thought.

"So… the weather…" I suggested with a laugh, hoping to pull my companion's mind from Aro's strange behaviour. It worked; Ásdís laughed her waterfall laugh and we continued through the gloomy tunnels.

~*~

"They are just North of here," Demetri told the rest of our group, opening his eyes. "We'll reach them in ten minutes."

Aro smiled in satisfaction and the mood lifted slightly. I turned my head in the direction that Demetri had indicated, seeing nothing but trees for miles all around. We stood on a slight incline in Moldova, all of us gathered around Demetri. We had only been traveling for three hours and already tiny quarrels had broken out. Whether Aro noticed or not, I was not sure; he seemed too preoccupied to care. I, on the other hand, noticed everything.

Within an hour of setting out, Jane and Felix were already engaged in a heated argument about Felix's quarrel with Alec. It had almost made me fear for the small vampire's life, seeing Felix's large form loom over her like it had… Almost. Jane had seemed to be enjoying the argument and it was a good thing that she was because I knew that Felix would be on the ground in an instant if he angered her. Ásdís had stepped in and managed to convince them to break off the argument. I hadn't expected this to last long, and I was right.

"Just tell your brother to keep his gift to himself," Felix barked, a barely concealed threat in his voice. I sighed. _Here we go again…_

"Why don't you tell him yourself when we get back?" Jane retorted in her soprano voice, looking bored.

"Don't worry, I will," Felix growled.

Jane opened her mouth to snap at him, but I had had enough.

"Enough!" I hissed, glaring at the both of them. "If you two don't stop, I'm going to involve Aro. Honestly, you're bickering like children! Jane, stop needling Felix, and Felix, just drop it! You are both members of this Guard and are therefore expected to have a certain level of maturity! Argh!" I threw up my hands in frustration and stalked off in the direction of the Romanian coven. I could hear the others following behind me. Ásdís, who could run faster than the others, caught up to me in no time.

"Crude, yet effective," she complimented me.

I wasn't in the mood for compliments. "We can't all have the gift of diplomacy," I grumbled, but I was thankful for the distraction.

Ásdís chuckled and patted me on the shoulder as we ran. "Don't worry. You won't have to deal with those two again. Chelsea overheard you and told me that she would strengthen the bond between them. That should keep them from bickering like small children." She giggled. "You _are_ entertaining when you are angry, though."

"It's so good to know that I entertain you, Ásdís. Thank you so much." I rolled my eyes at her, but I was feeling much better. Something about Ásdís's calm way always put me in a good mood.

"Caution!" Demetri whispered from a few feet behind us. All of us came to a halt and Renata stepped closer to Aro. As soon as we were all gathered around him, Demetri explained. "They are just through those trees over there." Aro nodded and motioned that we should follow him. We all nodded; we understood what to do. We were in our element.

The clearing in which the Romanian coven was taking cover was small and quickly became cramped as our numbers joined theirs. The accented words we heard before entering the clearing cut off immediately as we made our presence known. All five pairs of burgundy eyes were trained on our party and the shock and suspicion was evident in them all. Aro stepped forward and held up his hands as a sign of good intent. Wary as ever, the leader, Ferka, the one with the freezing gift, stepped forward to meet Aro in the centre of the clearing.

"What do you want?" he asked in a rough voice that was seldom heard from one of our kind. His voice surprised me; it was as though he had swallowed a strong acid and his vocal chords were recovering.

"Peace, friend," Aro replied in his breath of a voice. "We are the Volturi and we've come on a peaceful social visit. My name is Aro and I presume that you are Ferka, the leader of this coven." Aro nodded his head in a show of recognition.

"Bun venit, Aro. I know who you are. To what may we owe this unexpected visit?" Ferka's voice was polite, but I could tell that he was not pleased to have the Volturi drop in on his coven like this. I couldn't blame him; I couldn't imagine that I would be pleased in his position, either.

"It is an unusual tale," Aro commenced, folding his hands in front of him. "You see, we received a visit from a friend of yours, a vampire named Andrei."

At the mention of Andrei's name, Ferka stiffened. "Ah. I do see," he growled.

"Peace, Ferka." Aro held up his hands again. "Andrei came to inform us of the atrocious disregard your coven has for our laws of secrecy." Five pairs of eyes widened in fear. "You have no reason to fear us. Upon further questioning, I personally discredited his story. We simply came to inform you that Andrei has been punished for bearing false witness against your coven." Aro smiled cheerfully. "I was elated to discover the treachery in his words. It pains me to uphold our laws at the lives of our kind."

I wasn't the only one who noticed the subtle hint in Aro's words. What he was really saying was: _The cost for breaking the law is death. No exceptions._

"Andrei, that _trădătorule_! I am pleased to hear that you have ended his miserable existence. Our thanks know no bounds." Ferka nodded his head in appreciation, but the others behind him didn't relaxed their tense stance. The untalented female, Sorina, turned to whisper in the ear of her mate, Costel. He nodded, his eyebrows furrowing. Crina and her mate Nandru glanced at them anxiously, as though willing them to stop. I cocked my head to the side, my curiosity piqued. What were they worried about? I looked to the side and caught Ásdís's eye; it was obvious that she had noticed the same behaviour.

"What has them so agitated?" she asked under her breath so only I could hear her. I shrugged minutely and turned my attention back to the Romani coven. The brunette Sorina had approached Ferka, who excused himself, and was now whispering in his ear, all the while casting frightened glances at Aro. Our master waited patiently for Sorina to finish. A moment passed and the brunette stepped back from the coven's leader. Ferka's expression was grim as he turned back to Aro.

"Forgive me, but two of my coven would like to continue on the hunting trip they had planned for today. I hope their leaving does not offend you." Ferka's eyes were tight and something told me that this had to do with his coven's agitation.

"I assure you it does not," Aro replied, a polite smile on his papery features.

Ferka turned and motioned with a hand that Nandru and his mate Crina could leave. They wasted no time in scurrying away, identical looks of relief on their faces. They were hiding something, but I was at a loss how to discover what that was. I growled softly in frustration and Felix shot me a strange look. His burgundy eyes were wary, but I didn't think I was the cause this time.

"Do you think Aro has noticed their behaviour?" he asked through gritted teeth, his mouth barely moving. I shrugged and frowned at Aro's back.

"I hope so," I whispered back.

"We have done what we came to do," Aro said, catching everyone's attention again. "It is time that we returned to our home." I was the only one who found this odd… because I was the only one who knew our real reason in coming here. I had expected Aro to bring up the vampires' gifts and offer a place on the Guard, but he hadn't done that. Why? Had he noticed the odd behaviour of the coven after all?

"I wish you well, Ferka. It was a pleasure to meet you and your coven, though the meeting was regrettably short." Aro extended his hand to shake Ferka's and I nearly laughed with glee.

"We've got them," I breathed to no one in particular. On either side of me, I could feel Felix and Ásdís tense with excitement.

"Same to you, Aro, and same to your guard. _Mulţumesc._" Ferka reached out and grasped Aro's hand. Our master's eyes snapped shut under the onslaught of information. I could see Ferka's expression turn from relief, to confusion, and finally to fear. He tried to pull his hand away from Aro's touch, but it was too late. Aro looked up from his trance and shook his head sadly at the leader of the Romani coven. Ferka snatched his hand back and started backing away from us, his eyes wide.

"I'm afraid we'll not be going just yet," Aro said. "It seems that Andrei was not as far off the mark as we thought." Aro sighed tragically. "Ferka, immortal children are against our laws. You are aware of this and yet you disobeyed."

"_Fugi_!" Ferka barked to his coven, but this attempt was futile. All three of them fell to the ground, writhing and screaming in apparent agony.

"Well done, my dear one," Aro cooed to Jane. "Demetri, Felix, Eleazar, Ásdís, after the others. Bring them back alive, please."

We were off like an arrow, our cloaks billowing out behind us like wings. "They went this way," Demetri called back to us and we followed him to another clearing, but it was obvious that this clearing was not naturally formed. Broken trunks and uprooted trees surrounded a central point where three vampires could be seen. Two of them I recognised as Nandru and Crina. The other was very small, with round, red eyes and the face of an angel. Two halves of myself warred with each other every time we were faced with an immortal child. Part of me, the dominant half, was glad that we were protecting our race from discovery; the immortal children were volatile and dangerous and had killed vampires as well as humans. But another part of me, the half that always lost, wanted to protect the innocent creatures; they were adorable and it tore at my heart to kill them.

Crina, who was holding the child, was the first to notice our presence. "_Nu, te rog_!" she pleaded, holding the small creature closer. Nandru stood and crouched in front of his mate. It was obvious that the child didn't know why we were here; he smiled and stretched out his tiny hands. _He wants to play_, I realised and my second half shrivelled a little in pain. _Get a hold of yourself!_ I ordered, brushing away my weaker half.

Ásdís stepped forward to avoid a violent confrontation. "Please come with us peacefully," she implored, holding out a hand. "Violence will get you nowhere-"

"And coming with you will get us where?" Nandru demanded, baring his teeth as he spoke. "_Căţea_!" Nandru suddenly lunged toward Ásdís, his arm raised to strike. Felix was at his side in an instant, grabbing his arm and shoving him to the ground. Ásdís's face was blank, but I could tell she was shaken; this didn't usually happen when she was using her gift.

"Easy, Felix," Demetri warned. "Aro wants us to bring them back in one piece, remember?"

"He said 'alive' not 'in one piece'," Felix growled, but he did nothing more to the vampire he was restraining.

Crina glared at Felix and I was suddenly painfully aware of her gift. Trees started creaking, moving their limbs in our direction. My three companions looked around in confusion and I stepped forward to cut off the attack.

"Crina, please, we do not want to hurt your mate, but you are not helping the situation," I told her pointedly. Crina whimpered and bowed her head. The trees ceased their menacing movements, but the same could not be said for the vampire child in Crina's lap. It was evident that he was not happy with our actions. His beautiful face was screwed up in a frown and there was anger in his eyes.

"Nandu!" he whined, reaching a tiny hand out to the vampire in Felix's grasp. Felix eyed the child warily and I recalled that this was his first time dealing with an immortal child. Demetri, Ásdís, and I had all dealt with the vampire children before and therefore knew what was coming next. Crina tried to calm the boy, but he ignored her.

"Nandu!" he cried, gnashing his little teeth at Felix. I sighed and knew what had to be done. Demetri gave me a pained look and Ásdís closed her eyes. We worked so fast none of the Romani vampires saw what was coming. Demetri restrained the female while I snatched the child from her lap. Before the little one could react, I tore him limb from limb and laid him in a pile on the ground. From an inside pocket of my cloak, I pulled a match, lit it, and let it drop. The remains burst into flames immediately and the clearing was engulfed in thick, purple smoke. I bowed my head as the child's "parents" screamed in agony.

"_Cum ai putut_?" the female demanded, her face a mask of misery. "_Cum ai putut_?" she sobbed again and collapsed on the ground. Demetri pulled her up and Felix did the same with the male. Nandru just stared at the pyre, his eyes reflecting the horrid sight. I averted my eyes, unable to bear the look on his face.

Ásdís's eyes were still closed when I reached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She sighed and opened her eyes to look at me, not daring to gaze upon the smoking pyre. There were countless emotions shining in her eyes and I was sure mine reflected most of them: self-detestation, reluctance, revulsion, a sense of duty, just to name a few.

"I hate doing this," she murmured, and pain was evident on her features. "And it doesn't get any easier." She bit her lip.

"I know, but we did the right thing. We always do," I tried to comfort her, but I knew my words were ineffective. Ásdís sighed again and said nothing, but I knew she was questioning the definition of "right," just as I was.

"Let's go." I motioned for the others to follow me and we escorted Nandru and Crina back to the clearing where we had first met the coven in silence. There was no need for words; we all knew how the others were feeling. Felix, the newcomer, was frowning at the ground, as though he was trying to come to terms with both his halves as well. I understood completely. I threw him a look that I hoped conveyed my empathy, and he nodded and looked away. Ásdís was walking with her eyes closed again and Demetri looked tired.

The clearing was much like we had left it. The three Romani vampires were still on the ground, but they were not fighting anymore. They looked defeated and I'm sure the feeling only intensified as we walked out of the trees holding their friends. The female Sorina started whimpering and her mate Costel pulled her into his arms and rocked her gently. Ferka glared at us as we set Nandru and Crina with his coven. Crina threw her arms around her mate and sobbed into his chest. Nandru held her and closed his eyes in pain.

"I take it you found the immortal child?" Aro asked in grim voice.

I nodded solemnly. "Yes, Master. We took care of him."

Ferka snarled and lunged at me, but he didn't make it two feet. Jane had him on the ground again, whimpering in pain.

"Excellent. Down to business, then." Aro turned and faced the Romani coven. "You are charged with creating an immortal child. If you have something to say in your defence, please speak now."

No one spoke. No one moved. The Romani coven remained frozen on the ground, avoiding eye contact with any of us. Aro sighed theatrically and addressed the coven again. "I will have to take all of your accounts of this breech of code. I wish only to punish the truly guilty."

This was one of things I admired in Aro: he believed in justice for the guilty, and pardon for those without guilt.

Aro reached out a hand to Nandru, who hesitatingly reached out to touch his palm to Aro's, confusion in his eyes. Aro absorbed his account for a moment and then stepped back. "So it was you, Nandru, who created the child. I'm afraid this shameful act needs no deliberation as to the punishment." Aro raised a silver instrument and instantly Demetri and Felix jumped forward to obey. Nandru had hardly enough time to growl defensively before there was a loud keening sound followed by a metallic screech and a jet of flames from the little device in Aro's hand. Nandru's remains burned just as quickly as the child he had created.

The apparition of the silver device surprised me. I had seen it used countless times before, and so it was not the function of the device that shocked me. What startled me was that, as the device belonged to Caius, Aro would have had to ask for it specifically, meaning that he anticipated having to use it. Either Aro had come here with the intent of killing the Romani coven, which I could not believe of him, or he saw something suspicious in Andrei's mind that he hadn't divulged. This second excuse made much sense to me. Andrei had obviously not known about the immortal child, but perhaps he had noticed the odd behaviour of the others. _Si_, I thought, _that was it_.

The look on Crina's face was appalling. Her eyes were dead as she stared at the pyre of her mate. Aro extended his hand to her, but she ignored him. Instead she moved away from him shrinking toward the flames. None of us saw what was happening until it was too late. Crina crawled into the flames engulfing her mate and a sharp keen came from her throat as she burned with him willingly. Demetri and Felix here shocked, their mouths hanging open. Chelsea had covered her eyes, Jane's face was blank, and Renata was hiding her face in Aro's cloak. Ásdís sighed, her eyes closed yet again. I was not sure what my own face looked like; perhaps I was better off not knowing.

Aro moved on to the next guilty party, Costel, who reluctantly touched his hand to Aro's. Aro said nothing and moved on to Sorina, still wrapped in her mate's arms. She copied her mate and moments later Aro raised the device again and Nandru's fate was bestowed upon the two vampires. Finally, only Ferka was left. His face betrayed no emotion as he stared at Aro.

"You already know my version of events," he said in a dead voice. "What else could you possibly need?"

"Yes, Ferka, I know your version of events, but I also see that you did not condone the existence of the child. You were simply protecting your coven in not coming to us. I can empathise completely with that protective feeling. Therefore, I want to extend an offer to you, if you will hear it."

"What is your offer, Aro? I doubt even you could offer me something to forget this day," Ferka spat bitterly.

"You misunderstand me, Ferka," Aro breathed, a polite smile on his lips. "I am not looking to make you forget, but to remember and learn from this experience. Justice was done and I am offering you a role in future justice. I would like to extent to you an invitation to join my Guard. Your loyalty and your gift would be most welcome traits."

Ferka was laughing before Aro had even finished his speech. "_La naiba cu tine_, Aro." The leader of the Romani coven spat on the ground at Aro's feet. "Damn you. You expect me to accept your offer when you have slaughtered my coven? I will never serve you or your evil purpose. I rejoice that you Guard will kill me now; I refuse to live in a world that bows pathetically before such a charlatan."

Silence ruled in the clearing. Ferka's reaction confused me; whenever Aro offered an accused a stay of execution, the prospective Guard member was so thankful that they instantly accepted. Of course, Chelsea aided this process, but there was only so much she could do; the vampire had to have a wish to be saved for her gift to work. The only explanation I could see was that Ferka's bonds with his coven had been something stronger than just convenience. I sighed. It seemed only fitting now that he join his coven once again.

"Very well, Ferka, if that is your decision." Aro shook his head sadly and raised the device a third and final time. Demetri and Felix leaped forward, obscuring the leader of the former Romani coven with their cloaks. Ferka remained submissive the entire time. I had to look away; it felt to me as though the Guard had just destroyed something precious. I scanned the trees for something on which to focus and my eye was caught by something out of place. Searching the surrounding forest again, I found what I was looking for. A faint incandescence was partially hidden behind a large oak and as I gazed upon it, it moved. I cocked my head to the side and studied the luminosity further. I soon found that it was neither plant, nor animal, but another vampire. This puzzled me. Had we missed a member of the Romani coven? Perhaps Ferka had had a mate… I quickly shook my head of this notion. Had there been other members of the coven, Aro would have seen them in Ferka's mind. If not a Romani vampire, then who?

The vampire in question turned slightly, as though to facilitate a view of the entire Guard, and froze as it noticed my stare. Suddenly, it was gone and I had the strangest desire to follow it. I unconsciously took a step toward the oak-

"Eleazar, what are you doing?" Ásdís asked under her breath, her eyes wide and haunted. I opened my mouth to tell her about the vampire, but I found myself unwilling. Somehow, the on looking vampire had become my secret and I wished to keep its existence to myself.

"Nothing," I whispered back, taking back my hasty step. "I'm just eager to leave this clearing, I guess."

Ásdís nodded, understanding evident in her burgundy eyes. "I know how that feels, believe me. It has been a long evening, and the night has barely begun." She sighed. "If I could sleep, I'm sure this wretched place would haunt my nightmares. As it is, I'm sure it will haunt my waking thoughts."

I nodded my agreement and turned my thoughts to the vampire I had seen. Was it male or female? What had been its interest in the scene here in the clearing? And where had it gone? This last question in particular buzzed in my head, like a mosquito that just would not give up the hunt. I thought of leaving the clearing, of going back to Voltera, where I would never know the answer to the questions swimming haphazardly in my head, and I found the idea so repulsive that it was almost physical disgust. I _needed_ to know; it felt like it was vital to my existence.

"Come, my dear ones," Aro called to us, barely hidden disappointment in his tone. "The time has come for us to return home to Voltera." Aro took the first step to leave.

Resolve forming in my mind, I stepped forward and spoke. "Aro, if you will permit me, I would like to remain in this country for a time still." My presentation of my request was perhaps overly formal, but I wanted there to be no question as to my determination to stay. I tried to convey to Aro the importance of my application with my eyes.

Aro raised his dark eyebrows and gazed at me curiously. "What could there possibly be in this country for you, Eleazar, that our home could not provide?" he asked, perplexed.

"A change of scenery, Master. My mind is keen for a bit of discovery." I suppressed the urge to bite my lip, for it would betray my nervousness. I had never lied to Aro before and though I was not really lying now, it still made me uncomfortable to be so vague.

As though sensing that I was not being entirely honest, Aro reached out his hand to me, but I shook my head.

"Forgive my insubordination, Master, but I would prefer to keep my reasons my own." I could see the surprised looks on the faces of those Guard members who stood behind Aro. Jane's expression was the most amusing; it was almost indignant, so shocked was she.

"Eleazar, this is strange behaviour for you, indeed. But I cannot bring myself to deny your request for a 'change of scenery,' as you put it. Therefore, I acquiesce to your supplication, though I would prefer to know how long you intend to remain here, so that I may be aware should something happen to you." Aro waited patiently for my response, and I had to admit that his request was reasonable.

"I plan to stay here no longer than tonight. I shall try my hardest to make it back to Voltera before first light tomorrow."

Aro nodded and motioned for the others to ready themselves to depart. "I wish you well with your discovery, dear Eleazar, and look forward to your return to us tomorrow." And with a swish of cloaks and a questioning glance from Ásdís, the Volturi Guard was gone, leaving three smoking pyres behind as the only evidence that they had been there.

I turned and looked back at the forest. _Ready or not_, I thought,_ here I come._


	3. Ending A Life

Chapter Three ~ Ending a Life

The night air was perfumed with all the scents of the forest and my nose was tickled by the sweet smell of rotting wood and the scent of animals in their slumber. There were other scents as well, and these were not as welcome.

As I ran through the shadows cast by the trees, the nocturnal hunters and prey scurried out of my way and the taste of fear was sharp on my tongue. The other scent was that of a human who had most likely wandered unthinkingly into the woods to clear the mind. Even as humans feared the dark, they also took comfort from it. The same darkness that enveloped them in a soothing blanket also hid dangers, and humans, as always, tended to ignore their instinctual fears, passing them off as childish imaginings. If humans had any inkling about the creatures that waited for them in the dark, they would never leave the four walls of their dwellings.

Not that those four walls would protect them.

The scent of the human would not have normally been unwelcome, but in the current situation, with my curiosity burning to be quenched, the scent was a distraction that I resented. The ever-present thirst burned my throat and triggered a hallow ache in my stomach, reminding me that I hadn't fed in days. I paused as the scent intensified, willing myself to ignore the human and follow the more pressing scent of my query. It was extremely hard for me to turn away from a meal, especially when I was so thirsty, but the thought of the mystery vampire gnawed at my curiosity and finally won.

Streaking through the trees after the vampire, I examined the scent I was following. It was a pleasant smell, a combination of sun-baked terracotta, pomegranates, and carnations. Somehow, it reminded me of something from my past, before I was reborn as a vampire. The memory was vague, decayed with time, but the feeling remained. It was a calm, comforted feeling that came from the memory and it reminded me of happy times. I frowned, puzzling anew over the mystery vampire.

Abruptly, the trail of scent ceased, and I stopped, confused. Pulling myself from my train of thought, I looked around, wondering if I had gone too far. Did the vampire know I was following? Or had I missed a turn in the trail? I backtracked and could find no deviation from the main trail. Again, I stopped at the end of the scent and looked around. There was nothing special about the trees that I stood in, nothing to indicate that this would be a logical place to stop. The only answer I could come up with was that the vampire was deliberately trying to throw me off.

Miffed, I sniffed around the clump of trees, but could find no further trace of the vampire. The scent of terracotta, pomegranates, and carnations ended suddenly in the thickest formation of trees. It was as though the vampire had been plucked from the earth into the sky…

Realisation dawned on me and I almost laughed. Acting quickly so the vampire would be caught unawares, I jumped straight up into the branches overhead and came face to face with a wide-eyed female with wild black hair. Her lips formed into a surprised "O." I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

"Why are you following me?" she demanded, her dark brows furrowing. "Come to tie off loose ends?"

I felt my own eyebrows rise at her accusation. "Loose ends? Of course not. It matters not to me that you witnessed justice done. I was merely curious as to who you were." I stared earnestly into her black eyes. "I've not come to kill you. I mean you no harm at all."

The female raised an eyebrow at my words and I could see that there was sarcasm in her eyes. "Justice?" she said, barely concealed hostility in her voice. "You call what was done to those vampires justice? Your coven slaughtered them. What had they ever done to you?"

"To me personally? Nothing. However, they broke the law and their punishment was just." I averted my eyes from those of the wild female and looked upward toward the heavens. The stars gleamed and winked at me and the moon was nearly full. Sitting back on the branch, I breathed deeply and savoured the scent of the forest.

"What law?" The female's voice was softer now. "I was not aware that we had any laws."

I laughed humourlessly to myself. "Of course we have laws. Well… only one, in truth. We must remain hidden from the humans. Any action which threatens to expose us is a violation of that law. The coven you saw created an immortal child. And now…" I trailed off as I lost my train of thought. The wind was blowing the female's scent toward me and I was again struck by the familiarity of it.

"Now they are dead."

I sighed. "Yes, they're dead. Just punishment for putting our secret in jeopardy."

The female relaxed next to me. "I do not see how," she said, running white fingers through her hair. "It is only a child."

"That is the problem. They are only children and they act as such. Like the rest of our species, they never change, so they remain a child forever, never learning, never maturing, forever temperamental. It would be so easy for one of them to expose us all in a fit of rage. They're dangerous and illegal." The wind was blowing again, caressing my face like a thousand feathery fingers, and I was distracted again by the female's scent. So _alluring_…

"Well, if you are not here to kill me, then why are you here, Senior Volturi Soldier?" she asked, a smile playing along the corners of her mouth.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I must say that I've never heard that one before. Please, call me Eleazar. And I've already told you, I was simply curious about you."

"Carmen." The female extended her hand to me. I took it gladly and nearly gasped when an electric shock tingled up my arm. From the shocked expression on Carmen's face, I could tell that she had felt the same thing. How strange…

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Carmen." She smiled widely at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Tell me, Eleazar, why did you stay behind to track me while your coven returned to its home?" Carmen asked, locking me in a gaze that brought back the electric feeling from a moment ago. At first, I could not answer; I was too caught up in the expression in her eyes to concentrate. Carmen smiled gently and cocked her head to the side, shaking me from my reverie. The electric feeling did not leave.

"Have I not already answered that question?" I grinned at her, not able to keep the teasing tone out of my voice. There was something about this female that struck a chord within me, something I had never encountered before, and I was at a loss to identify what it was. Any plans that I had had to quickly return to Voltera, any plans of leaving at all, vanished in an instant. Perhaps if I kept this female talking, I would discover what it was about her that intrigued me so.

"Well, yes, in a way," Carmen allowed, looking away from me into the shadows of the forest. "I supposed I was mostly wondering about why you did not leave with your coven. You've said that you were curious about me, but was that really enough to keep you from going home?" She brought her eyes back to mine and I could see curiosity and something unidentifiable burning in them.

I glanced away from her burning gaze to stare at my hands. I could feel a slight frown on my face, but did nothing to smooth it out. I did not feel the urge to hide anything from this strange creature. In fact, I wanted her to know me, to understand me and my actions. This was something new to me; though I was close to my coven, I had never really felt the need to share any part of myself with them. Naturally, I would answer truthfully when asked questions by Ásdís, but I had never felt the need to explain myself to anyone before. So many new sensations I was feeling after meeting this Carmen; I felt almost dizzy.

"I supposed I just wanted some time to myself, to be away from those I see everyday. I wanted some privacy to manage my thoughts, to think things over before going back to them. Though it is absolutely necessary to uphold the law, I find that it is not always easy to stomach destroying so many. I wanted a chance to clear my head of those horrible images." I sighed. "I really dislike the violence, but we must fulfill our purpose." I could not meet Carmen's eyes, so distracted by my demons as I was.

"Eleazar," Carmen breathed, reaching out a hand to turn my face back to hers. Her touch seemed to sink below my skin, into the bones of my face. My eyes widened as I took in the expression in her eyes. There was compassion, but again there was something unidentifiable, something so _tempting_, that I did not understand. "Eleazar, you have such a kind spirit, I can see that. And I can see that it hurts you to do what you do. So why don't you leave? Go your own way for a while?"

I shook my head. "I could never do that."

Camen smiled a bit indulgently. "Why is that?"

I shook my head again. "What else would I do? We do what we do for the greater good, to protect our species. My time before I joined the Volturi was not pleasant; I wandered aimlessly, feeling lost, searching for a purpose in life. The Volturi provided that purpose and without it, I would again be lost." I let my expression drift toward sadness. "Without that purpose, what would be the point in existing?"

Carmen's smile never faltered, though the topic of our conversation had turned despondent. "There's an easy remedy to that, you know," she whispered, excitement flavouring her voice like some exotic spice. "All you need is a new purpose in life."

I could not help but laugh. "You make that sound so easy."

Carmen shrugged and laughed with me. "Can I show you something?" she asked suddenly, jumping lithely to her feet. Excitement burned from her eyes and I wondered what she could possible want to show me with such ardour. Regardless of my confusion, I jumped to my feet as well and nodded. She extended her hand to me and I didn't hesitate as I took it. The electric shock shot up my arm again, but I was growing used to it, learning to enjoy it even. Carmen smiled hugely at me for one fraction of a second and then we were flying.

The trees whipped past us at such an exhilarating speed that the sensation was remarkably like flying. With Carmen in the lead, we sprang from branch to branch, letting the wind whip our hair out behind us. Carmen's long, black hair tickled by face, and I leaned into it, enjoying the terracotta, pomegranate, and carnation scent of her. I felt a strange longing to reach out my other hand and braid it into the long strands, to bury my face in the flowing locks and breathe her scent deeply. The intensity of the longing left me feeling unbalanced, and I couldn't help feeling like I was a different person from the one I had been half an hour ago. I felt freer than I ever had before and the feeling made my spirit soar.

After a while, Carmen slowed her pace to a walk. She kept hold of my hand and I found that I liked this, probably more than I should.

"Might I ask where we're going?" I inquired, examining her face for any hint of an answer. She just smiled and said, "You might." I sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to give me what I wanted.

A few minutes later, a new sound added itself to the typical sounds of the forest. It was the sound of water lapping at a shore, of wind passing over an open expanse, and I wondered if _this_ was where we were headed. Why would she want to show me a lake? Certainly, I had seen lakes before. What could there be special about this particular lake that she could want to show me? I was at a loss to answer that question by myself. Carmen noticed the confusion on my face and smiled knowingly up at me.

Presently, we cleared the trees that lined the small lake and the light cast by the moon was so bright, it was almost like walking out into daylight. I was momentarily distracted from my companion by the way the moonlight glimmered on the water, like a thousand diamonds. So pretty…

"What do you think?" Carmen asked, staring up at me. "Isn't it beautiful?" In the light from the moon, her skin shone, glittering faintly. It was mesmerizing.

"Mmmm." I reached out to stroke her luminous skin. Her face felt soft and warm under my fingers. "Beautiful."

Carmen smiled gently up at me and there was an almost bashful demeanour about her movements. She squeezed my hand before letting it go and stepping away. I frowned and was about to protest the action when something she did made me forget what I was going to say. She unbuttoned the dress she was wearing and it pooled around her ankles like some undiscovered liquid. She wore nothing underneath. My eyes grew wide and my mouth fell open as I took in the length of her graceful body. I struggled to find words to describe her, but I found none. Her beauty in the moonlight had me speechless.

"Do you always remove your clothes for men you've just met?" I asked breathlessly when I had regained some semblance of self-awareness.

Carmen laughed and the sound was like the pealing of silver bells. "No," she replied in a whisper that sent shivers down my spine, "only for you." She held my gaze as she walked slowly, sinuously into the water. All I could do, all my body would let me do, was remove my own clothes and follow her.

~*~

"I'm leaving."

I stood before Aro, Caius, and Marcus where they sat upon their thrones. Marcus, as always looked utterly bored and I found myself wondering what he had been like before he'd lost his mate, Didyme. Caius had his eyes narrowed at me and I fervently hoped that he would not make a scene. It was Aro that I had most of my attention trained on, for I knew that he would not take the news of my defection lightly. A frown appeared on Aro's face and his filmy eyes searched mine for a reason behind my announcement.

"Dear Eleazar, whatever has brought on this decision? If you are unhappy here, surely we can find a way to rectify your feelings. Surely there is no reason for you to leave us." Aro's voice was confused and sad as he spoke and I sighed; I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Please don't misunderstand me, Aro. I have never been so happy as I have been here, and I do not make the decision to leave lightly. I have put a lot of though into this, and I believe that it is the right decision for me. I cannot stay here anymore." I tried to infuse reassurance into my voice as I spoke the words that would hopefully make Aro let me go.

"Certainly there must be a reason behind this decision, dear one," he said, getting to his feet and advancing a step toward me. "What happened while you were away from us that has made you so eager to leave us?"

I sighed, remembering the very reason that Aro was asking about. I had spend the night and the whole day with my new purpose in life, and I was a little stunned at how hard it was to be away from her now. I had told Carmen to wait for me outside the walls of the city. I was going to meet her there and we were going to start our new life together. Anticipation coursed through me and I itched to be done with the formalities. Carmen had encouraged me to simply run away with her without the formal goodbye, but I had convinced her that it would be better this way, that no one would come looking for me if I explained my leaving.

"Master, since I've been here with you, my life has been filled with purpose and I cannot begin to thank you for that. But, until last night, I didn't realise what my life had been missing. I met my mate last night," I explained in a fervent whisper, hoping to make Aro understand, "and she _is_ my life now."

"Could you not be with her and remain here with us at the same time? Surely your life has enough room in it for that." Aro's eyes bored into mind as though he were trying to keep me here by sheer force of will. I smiled serenely and shook my head.

"No, Aro, I don't think it does. I need a change, strange as that may seem to you. I've come to let you know that this is I want, that I haven't been threatened or coerced. I'm leaving, Aro, and I've come to thank you and to say goodbye." I extended my hand toward my former master as though I wished to shake his hand. Aro, of course, knew that I wasn't looking for a handshake. He took my hand in his, visibly eager to understand my thoughts. His eyes closed as he listened and reluctant understanding coloured his features as he witnessed the last twenty-four hours in my thoughts.

"I see," he said at last, letting go of my hand and sitting thoughtfully on his throne once more. "You will be missed, dear Eleazar, but I can see that you cannot remain with us. Go in peace. I wish you every happiness in this new life."

I smiled in triumph and bowed. "Thank you, Aro. For everything." I turned to the two other ancients and nodded my head to each in farewell. "Caius. Marcus." Caius nodded back, a grudging look in his eye. But Marcus smiled slightly at me and I believe I detected nostalgia in his expression. I felt my face go blank in shock; I had never seen Marcus smile before.

"Enjoy your new life, Eleazar, and wish the same to your mate for me."

All I could do was nod, so shocked was I. Marcus' face returned to its usual bored expression and he looked away. With a final nod to Aro, I turned on my heels and headed out of the room. On my way out of the building, I was stopped by a soft voice behind me.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

I turned in surprise to see Ásdís standing watching me, a sad smile on her lovely face. I smiled at her and nodded.

"I have to," I said in way of an explanation.

Ásdís nodded to herself. "I'll miss you terribly." She met my gaze for a moment and I held my hand out to her. She took it and I drew her close and hugged her. "I'll miss you, too," I whispered.

"Will you promise to visit sometime?" she asked stepping out of the circle of my arms.

"Of course."

Ásdís smiled to herself. "Until we meet again, then, Eleazar," she said and she swept forward into a graceful curtsy. I smiled and bowed to her in return.

"Keep everyone in check for me," I joked as I stepped back towards the door. Ásdís smiled and nodded. I turned and left my old life behind forever.

It took me no time at all to reach the edge of the city and to leap over the wall. Carmen was waiting for me. She beamed as soon as she saw me and I swept her up into my arms. We kissed passionately for a moment, letting ourselves get a little carried away. All too soon, however, Carmen pulled back with a smile on her beautiful face.

"How did it go?" she asked, searching my eyes for any sign of anxiety. I smiled serenely at her.

"Smooth as butter," I assured her lightly, running my fingers through her hair. The scent coming off her skin made me shiver and I was eager to get away from the city. I took her hand and pulled gently. "Come, let's away."

Carmen laughed her bell laughter. "Do, let's."

We sprang into the night, flying down the hill away from the walls of Voltera. I was not sure where we were going, but I knew that I didn't care where we went, as long as I was with Carmen. I stared adoringly at my mate and she stared right back, the exact same emotions shining from her face. I couldn't help but give a cry of joy as we ran and Carmen laughed again. Our hands intertwined felt like eternity as we flew towards our new life together.

_The End._


End file.
